


Prove It

by Sargentpepper23



Series: Trapped, but along for the ride [6]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Embarrassment, F/M, How do you function around the man who gave it to you good in your dreams?, Kid is an ass but we already knew that, Oral Sex, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2020-11-24 02:28:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20900144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sargentpepper23/pseuds/Sargentpepper23
Summary: Kid’s parting words to the recruits was like dropping gas on a lit fire, igniting their resolve and challenging their pride as men.  “You think you’re worthy of calling this ship your home?  You think you’re worthy of being called a Kid pirate?  Prove it.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone,  
I know I have not committed to posting within a certain time frame, but I am so sorry for not cranking this out sooner. I have been extremely busy with work, life, and school. It also doesn't help that I STRUGGLED with this chapter. It's frustrating because I have the framework for the entire short, color-coded in a notebook and in the notes of my phone, but when I finally have time to sit down to write, my mind short circuits.  
Thanks again for being patient with me, and I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.

“I- I- oh… ah”

Large, callused hands leave goosebumps in their wake as they lazily trail down her body. Stopping at her thighs, two thumbs slide inward and lightly scrape a few circles, before strong fingers grasp her legs and jerk her forward to the edge of the bed.

“What ar- ah."

Teeth lightly bite at her hip before a soothing kiss quells its sting.

Cracking a lusty eye open, she moans at the sight that greets her under the low lighting. The man’s face is buried in the junction of her left hip and thigh, where he nips and teases her sensitive skin, leaving tiny purple marks as souvenirs. His wild blond hair obscures his face and pools behind him, occasionally shifting with his movements and tickling her bare legs.

_God, this man could do anything he wants to me, and I would gladly go along with it._

A particularly sharp nip at her hipbone draws another gasp from her, and she closes her eyes once more. His chapped lips smirk against her skin, before momentarily pulling back and resuming his work, placing feather-like kisses on the outside of her thigh and gradually moving inward.

Biting her lip in a desperate attempt to smother a wanton moan, her fingers scrunch and clutch at the soft comforter beneath her. Knuckles white in exertion, her clenched hands need something, no _anything_, to keep her grip on reality because she was on _fire_. Every kiss and scratch of his beard against her sensitive skin wound the knot inside of her tighter and tighter.

Lost in pleasure, her eyes fly open as her legs leave the soft bedding and sling themselves over his warm shoulders, his lips not once stopping their quest towards her center. Purposely sliding his hands slowly up her calves and around her knees, he finally grips her thighs and spreads her legs wide, nuzzling his face deep between them.

_Ohhhhh please, please, please, please, please._

His roaming mouth laves wet trails to the edge of her core, before teasingly pulling away and repeating the process half a lick below his starting point. Hips squirming in frustration and anticipation, the first mate’s hands slide up to restrain them, before pressing her further into the mattress and continuing to explore her at his leisure.

She bites back an impatient moan at the torture. _Doesn’t he know he’s driving me up the wall?! Here he is taking his sweet time when I’m about to EXPLODE. Just suck me al-_

"ah- ohhhh."

As if reading her mind, his tongue darted out and flicked an outer lip before suckling her thigh again.

She couldn’t help it, she begged. “Killer please, ple-“ 

She didn’t have the chance to ask him twice. He mouthed her inner right thigh one last time before dragging his tongue straight to her core and giving her one long lick. 

Throwing her head back in pleasure, a rapturous cry pierced the air as her spine arched and her hands latched themselves into his soft hair. Swirling his tongue further into her folds to taste her, he released a growl of contentment and began feasting on her flesh.

Hazy eyed and trembling in ecstasy under his sensual ministrations, she couldn’t think past the flames coursing through her veins and the warm appendage sliding between her lips. If her mind had been working, she would have likened it to an out-of-body experience. There were her soft pink fingernails, digging into his golden hair as if her life depended on it. There were his tan arms, peppered with scars and noticeably paler under the moonlight, flexed to keep her from squirming. There was his right hand, slowly sliding away from her hip, his thumb trailing down towards her clit. Every sound she heard came through muffled as if she were in a tunnel, but she could make out her heavy breathing and the lewd lapping of his tongue as it soaked up her juices.

She came careening back to reality with a sharp gasp as Killer lightly dragged his thumb across her nub. Noting her reaction, he swiped across it one more time, before pressing down hard and rolling it in a circle.

"Ahh Killer, wait- Ahhhh."

He didn’t wait. The pressure relented for just a moment as he pulled back the slick hood with his thumb, leaned up, and licked her sensitive clit.

She yelped as electricity shot through her core, and her thighs reflexively tried to clamp shut at the overstimulation, but the large man wedged between them stopped her. Writhing in pleasure, her vulgar moan echoed across the room as the blond licked her bare bundle of nerves again, and again, and again.

With each slow lick, her hips uncontrollably jolted and bucked into his face, making his goatee brush against her. As if sensing her urgency, he used his left arm as a lap bar and easily pinned her down, before speeding up his ministrations and fully sucking her clit.

She was nearing her breaking point. All she needed was an extra bit of friction to push her over the edge. If only he would-_ OH FUCK, YES!_

So caught up in his rhythmic oral, she had not noticed his right hand trailing down to play with her slit. His pointer and middle fingers were coated in her juices, and he was teasing her opening. Sucking hard with his lips and curling his tongue, he pressed his fingers against her and slid the long digits inside, seeking the spot that would bring her to the brink. The spot that would leave her broken and panting on his tongue and hands as he brought her to climax over and over-

THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!

Head popping straight up at the loud noise, Ever’s bleary eyes shot open then slammed shut as a laser beam of light crashed into her face. Disoriented by the sudden wake-up call and becoming increasingly annoyed that someone had stopped finger fucking her, she forced an eye open and squinted at her surroundings.

The sunlight bouncing off her mirror signaled daybreak, and her tiny twin-sized bed was disappointedly devoid of any muscular, blond-haired men. Instead, her legs had successfully pulled and dragged the bottom half of the shabby comforter against her slick core, leaving her knees comfortably propped on top of the mound of fabric. At some point in the night, her hand had unconsciously moved downward and wedged itself and some of the blanket between her thighs. 

Growling in frustration and growing embarrassment, Ever plopped back against her pillow and glared at the ceiling. _Fuck, I had a wet dream about Killer._

The fire ripping through her only deepened the reddish hue of her burning cheeks, and her eyes dilated as her imagination conjured more images of the assassin between her legs. His phantom hand gripping her before plunging his tongue and fingers into-

Ever threw a cool hand across her face, physically stopping her train of thought and incidentally scattering her dark brown hair across her eyes. _This is a moment I am taking to my grave. Yeah, sure, I get it, he’s hot, but of all people, why did it have to be him?_

THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!

Rolling her head to the side, Ever blew her errant hair out of the way and scowled at the door. _Seriously? They couldn’t have waited five more minutes?_

Embarrassed, irritated, and beyond horny, Ever untangled herself from her bedspread, readjusted her baggy t-shirt and shorts, and stomped across the floor. _Someone better be dead or fucking dying. It may have been with Killer, but that was the best fake sex of my life!_

Wrenching the door open, she railed at the ass who had interrupted her good time. “Do you have _any_ idea what fucking time it is? It is too early-“

Ever didn’t see much of the crewman in the hall, but what she saw caused her enough distress to elicit a squeak in surprise and promptly slam the door in his face.

She would recognize that shade of blue and flash of golden hair anywhere. Wide-eyed, flushed from head to toe, and quaking with embarrassment, she leaned her full weight back against the door. _HE KNOWS!_

A muffled “Everly, open the door” vibrated through the wood.

Ever was too freaked out to care that he called her by her real name. A single, irrational mantra had hijacked her thoughts, overshadowing Killer’s continued knocking and rumblings. _HE KNOWS! HE KNOWS! HE KNOWS! HE KNOWS! HE KNOWS!_

Without warning, her knees popped from an unexpected pressure, and her bare feet slid across the hardwood as the first mate shoved his way in.

Trapped between the door and the tiny corner of the room Ever crossed her arms and ducked her head, hoping to avoid eye contact at all costs. Staring at the floor, she watched his scuffed leather boots pivot in her direction and stop with a thud a mere two feet from her.

If there had ever been a time to be able to melt into the floor, it would have been then. _Fuck, fuck, fuck, damage control! I’ll play it off that it was someone else! An ex-boyfriend, that one hot guy who ran by my store every day, a non-existent pool-boy, ANYONE! _

Two pieces of toast and an apple were thrust into her sight, “Eat this.”

_Huh?_

Frowning in confusion, Ever peered down at the food and the tan hands clutching them. Her face nearly burst into flames as her thoughts drifted to his fingers, in particular, how they had contrasted nicely against her creamy thighs when he pushed them open- _No, no, no, no, no, stop it! Bad Ever! This is the kind of thinking that got you into this predicament in the first place! Don’t look at them! Don’t think about them! JUST. STOP!_

Wary of his fingers, Ever hesitantly plucked the food from Killer’s hands. Still flabbergasted he was not calling her out for her dirty thoughts, she cautiously took a half-hearted bite out of the apple. _Maybe… he doesn’t know?_

With each chomp to the crisp fruit, Ever’s panic gradually melted away as she became more and more sure of the situation. _I’m a paranoid idiot. There’s no WAY he can know. He may be unusually perceptive, but he’s not psychic!_

The old floorboards creaked in distress as his boot shifted, “Kid wants everyone up on deck in ten minutes.”

Still staring at his boots, Ever nodded vigorously in understanding and shoved a piece of toast in her mouth, wishing the blond would just leave already. She needed all ten of those minutes to bury her burning face into a pillow, overanalyze their entire conversation, freak out all over again, pull herself together, and _finally_ throw some sandals on.

Ever nearly choked on her toast when Killer took a step towards her, “Ever, are you alright”?

_Shit! He said my name! He’s serious. Fake it till I make it! Fake it till I make it!_

Forcing the dry toast down with a painful swallow, Ever looked up past the tall man’s shoulder and gave the spot a beaming smile. “I’m fine! Really, I’m fine, everything’s fine. Just, you know, good old strange Ever acting weird again. Seriously, I’m fine though, really.”

At that moment, Killer thought Ever looked many things, and “fine” was definitely not one of them. Her skin was flushed a bright pink, the freckles across her cheeks and peppering her arms almost non-existent. She had been unconsciously fiddling with her hands and bobbing her right foot since he entered the room, and until ten seconds ago, she had avoided looking up at him, still _refusing_ to look at his face.

Having never seen Ever this flustered and attempt such a pathetic lie before, Killer couldn’t help but be intrigued by what she was hiding. Knowing she would balk under pressure, he leaned back, crossed his arms, and stared her down, waiting for her to inevitably spill her guts. 

Still looking past him, Ever saw part of his shoulder rise and heard the sound of fabric rubbing against fabric, probably crossing his arms across his chest. Reading the book title on the shelf behind him, she could feel his curious stare on her face. It was distracting, the near equivalent of a toddler insistently poking you for answers and attention.

Overwhelmed and under pressure, she shoved the other piece of toast in her mouth and gave the assassin’s shoulder a big thumbs up. “I’mph fine, really. Got’a look for my san’als.”

Spying her salvation, aka the flimsy shoes thrown into the far corner, Ever’s smile nearly cracked as she crept along the wall past the first mate, praying to any god that would listen for Killer to stop his inquisition before she broke down and began word vomiting.

Watching the frazzled woman struggle to avoid him, Killer almost felt sorry for Ever, and the shitty day she was unknowingly about to have. _Speaking of that._ His eyes drifted to her messy bed, then the floor where the shattered screen of Kid’s old alarm clock was dully lit, the half-working red lines indicated it was 7:08 am. Lightly clicking his tongue at the time, Killer mentally scolded himself for not dropping her breakfast at the door like he planned. He still had to finish setting up one more thing on deck, and now because he let himself be distracted by her, he had less than ten minutes to do it.

Promising himself to confront her later about her strange behavior, Killer eyed her one more time before turning around and walking out into the hallway. He had already helped her out by waking her up early _and_ giving her breakfast, a luxury the others would not have. Ever would have to face the rest of today by her self. The rules Kid, Wire, Heat, and himself had drawn up all those years ago forbade them and the others from helping out the new recruits on "Judgment Day."

However, looking back at Ever still creeping across the wall, Killer couldn’t help but worry for her. She wasn’t a new recruit, she didn’t actively want to be here, and she certainly would not survive any regular day as a Kid pirate. Hell, the only reason they had kidnapped her was for a long shot, harebrained idea Kid had thought up of on the fly.

His concern for her growing, Killer’s brows furrowed as a memory tugged at him, of a shivering crewmember in nothing but checkered boxers and a black sock, squaring off before his captain.

Remembering the outcome of _that_ particular incident, he made up his mind.

Based on past experiences, his concern for her was well-founded, and Kid was going to give him absolute _hell_ for favoring her.

Almost to her sandals, Ever swallowed her crow of relief as Killer’s footsteps receded out of the room. _Oh, thank god, he's gone. Now I-_

She nearly jumped out of her skin as Killer spoke from the hallway, “Ever, wear something to run in.”

Rooted to the spot, she uttered out an “Ok” before the door shut with a click.

Lost in thought, Ever’s body went on autopilot as she changed into her single pair of yoga pants, a sports bra, and a loose-fitting t-shirt. _This is so embarrassing. _Pulling on mismatched socks, she slid her sneakers on. _ I have to make sure I don’t crack and blab to him about my dream. _Her fingers untied the laces, before tightening and adding in a double knot. _If he finds out, that smug bastard will lord it over me for all of time._

Standing, and hoping not to make a complete fool out of herself next time she saw the first mate, Ever grabbed a jacket before exiting her room and locking the door. _If he finds out, I’ll just avoid the whole thing by jumping overboard. Maybe I'll get lucky, and something will eat me before they haul me back on to the ship. _

Pushing the heavy outside door open, the chilly autumn wind hit her in the face and ripped the door from her fingers, slamming it against the wall with a resounding clang. Spitting stray hair out of her mouth, Ever squinted up at the fast-moving clouds and threw her hair up a short pony-tail, before shrugging her jacket on and wrestling with the door. _Well, this sucks. Why does Kid want me out here again?_

Walking towards the majority of the crew standing in the middle of the deck, Ever couldn’t help but be paranoid by the wide smiles and snickers sent her way. Ralph, a seasoned crewmember, was especially giddy. Clapping his hands at her arrival, his half-rotted teeth beamed aggressively at her, “You’re in for a treat today, Ever.”

Unable to resist giving him a strange look, Ever made her way over to a pile of crates haphazardly scattered near the mast. _Huh, never seen these before. _Hopping up on one, she situated her butt to achieve maximum comfiness, crossed her knees, and glared suspiciously at the others.

Not even a minute later, a flash of red, followed by harsh laughter, caught her attention. _Ah, there he is. Captain Asshat himself. _Peeking down at her watch, she couldn’t help but be amazed. _And surprisingly, on time. _

Ever’s eyes followed him as he, Wire, Heat, and_ dammit,_ Killer, moved across the deck. Her brows lifted then furrowed as she noticed Kid’s clear mug of coffee was more than half empty, and the intercom transponder snail in his hand was wide awake. _Doesn’t everyone know to be up on deck? We ALL know better than to be late for a meeting. _

Coming to a stop before the crew, Kid peered out at them, his wide grin matching the rest of them. Finally, meeting her gaze, Kid's smile slightly faltered before lighting up again. The hair on the back of Ever’s neck rose as Kid gave her a long, slow, deliberate wink. _Oh fuck, what the hell is going on? _

Gripping the snail, Kid snickered one final time before addressing the crew. “You guys ready,"?

Cheers, whoops, and hollers filled the air. Smirking at their obvious excitement, Kid grabbed the receiver and opened his big, fat, mouth. "WHAT THE _FUCK_ ARE YOU LAZY BASTARDS DOING? GET YOUR ASSES, OUT OF BED, AND GET UP ON DECK, _NOW! _

_Ohhhhh, I have a bad feeling about this._

Ten seconds of silence went by before a crewmember outwardly started snickering, setting off a chain reaction throughout the group. Between the snickering, a few of them were sliding pieces of paper between one another, placing bets on the outcome of the day.

Kid threw a hand over his mouth to smother his own laughter before continuing, “OH, AM I NOT R_ESPECTED_ AS A CAPTAIN? DO I NEED TO COME DOWN THERE AND GET YOU MYSELF”?

That’s when Ever heard it, the sound of pounding footsteps and numerous, panicked “get out of my ways," shortly followed by the hallway door slamming open, mimicking a gunshot.

Watching the train wreck of men swarm the deck, Ever thoughts were equal parts _oh, these poor creatures_ and _thank god I’m not them_.

There were six of them in total, all in various stages of dress, pushing and shoving one another to reach their captain. Luther was hopping across the deck, trying to slide boots on over his bare feet. Dez, in nothing but socks, blue boxers, and a half-way buttoned-up shirt, bumped into Ryder as he tried to situate himself. Ryder, unsuccessfully shoving the large man back, was surprisingly dressed, but was missing his signature poison green lipstick and eyeliner. Johnny, who was looking down, had his knotted boots slung over his neck and was struggling to put his belt through his pant loops. Not paying attention and in such a tizzy, he tripped over Ed, who had intentionally stuck his gremlin-Esque barefoot out to not be the last one to the meeting. At the front of the pack was Fox, clad in nothing but dark jeans, frantically bobbing and weaving through the crowd of onlookers.

Wide-eyed Ever looked back at Kid, his amusement long gone as the late arrivals finally shoved their way to the front. Eyes narrowed, Kid stared the nervous pirates down, willing to let their imaginations conjure up all the ways he would punish them for their offense.

A long minute went by before Kid’s low voice broke the silence, “I’m glad you finally decided to join us." Not breaking eye contact, his gaze pinned them to the deck as he finished off his coffee, the men flinching when Kid squeezed the mug, shattering it with his prosthetic hand. Grinding the remaining shards of glass into a fine powder, Kid continued, “I was starting to think my new recruits don’t take my position as captain seriously.”

Ever pitied them. The poor souls were maintaining eye contact with Kid, as per his “when I speak to you, you look at me” rule, and they were handling the harsh scrutiny in their own way. Ed’s face dripped with sweat, Johnny was chewing the inside his cheek, and Luther was feverishly rubbing a thumb across the back of his other hand, struggling to discretely get his remaining boot on. 

Without warning, Kid clapped his hands together, startling the already jumpy Ryder. “It must have just been my imagination because my men would never _dare_ disrespect me,” he quirked a near-colorless eyebrow at them, "right”?

The vigorous nodding that followed his question resembled deranged bobbleheads, putting a smile on Kid’s face. “Good, because I have a very special day planned for all _seven_ of you.”

Finally shifting his gaze away from the fidgeting crewmembers, Kid smirked and pointed a finger in the direction of the mast. Everyone, including Ever, craned their necks around, searching for the final unlucky bastard. Frowning at the empty air and frothy sea behind her, Ever turned back to Kid, her questioning look morphing into one of horror as the crew openly smirked at her.

_… OH FUCK!_

Desperately hoping this was some kind of twisted joke, Ever pointed her fingers at her chest and squeaked, “Me”?!

Curling his finger in a come-hither motion, Kid’s smirk widened as his magnetic grip latched on to her newly forged iron cuff and forcibly dragged her through the crowd, wedging her between the other recruits.

Standing awkwardly between Luther and Fox, Ever shot nervous glances at her fellow brothers in arms, before grimacing up at their tormenter. The oversized jerk loomed over her, his shadow blanketing both her and Luther while his irritating grin left Ever wishing she had the balls to punch him in the face.

All in all, Kid’s performance had successfully intimidated the shit out of the other recruits. It was almost too bad the chunk of dark lipstick smeared on his right incisor completely ruined the effect for Ever. In her book, that minute, human flaw had knocked Kid’s intimidation factor down from _Evil Overlord, _to only slightly less terrifying, _Sloppy Clown. _

Leaning over, Kid got in her face, “Now that _everyone_ is present, we can finally get started.”

The suspicious glare she shot him earned her a retaliatory pony-tail tug, followed by the removal of her hairband. Maintaining eye contact, Kid grinned at her through her tangle of windswept hair and stretched the elastic, sling-shotting it across the deck. She narrowed her green eyes even further. _Petty bastard. _

Standing back up, Kid continued, “Here’s the deal, losers. Over the past several months, you bastards have survived what others haven't. Whether it's through sheer grit or dumb luck, I don't give a shit. It's time to officially induct you into the crew."

_… You have got to be fucking kidding me. He wants to make me a what?!_

Surprisingly, Ed was the bravest of the bunch and asked what all the others were thinking, “Uh, so you mean we aren’t crewmembers yet”?

Kid’s twisted grin, coupled with the knowing look in his eye, immediately raised Ever’s stress levels, “If you make it through today, you will be." 

The men surrounding her were dumb enough to shoot each other hopeful looks and pump their fists in excitement. Ever just stood there, a sense of dread creeping up her spine.

Still celebrating, Ryder stopped his strange shoulder shimmy/hip-thrust dance as Kid cleared his throat, “Listen up. We will be giving you a series of… tests.”

Ever could have sworn she heard Dez mutter under his breath something about this being the best day of his life. _Jesus fuck they don’t get it. Today is going to be HELL!_

"You will either pass them or die trying.”

Fox, the damn thrill-seeker, clapped a hand on Ever’s tense shoulder and grinned down at her, whispering, “Did you hear that? There’s a possibility we can _die! _I bet we’ll have to do something crazy”!

_Oh my god, I’m not going to make it._

“Today, you don’t have any friends, except for each other.”

Hands shaking, Ever looked to Heat and Wire for help, both of them too eager for today’s festivities to pay attention to her. She didn’t dare peek at the first mate, her raunchy dream all too real and vivid for her to feel comfortable around him. 

Out of reliable allies, Ever’s breath picked up as she really gave <strike>the deck</strike> her death trap a good look, noting the pile of guns partially hidden under a tarp, scorched outlines of bodies imprinted on sheets of metal, and nooses hanging from the open jaws of the ship’s oversized figurehead. _ I’m going to die._

Kid’s parting words to the recruits was like dropping gas on a lit fire, igniting their resolve and challenging their pride as men. “You think you’re worthy of calling this ship your home? You think you’re worthy of being called a Kid pirate? Prove it.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone,  
It's here, it's silly, and I hope all of you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
Also, I based the layout of the deck off of Oda's official sketch of Kid's ship, the Victoria Punk. I encourage you to check it out!

Laying face down on the discolored deck, Ever seriously thought she might be dead, or at the very least, close to it. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute, she was gasping like a fish out of water, struggling to catch her breath, and her arms were the equivalent of limp noodles, quivering in response to basic commands. From far above, Luther’s rough accent cut through the howling wind, shouting to see if she was ok.

The past forty-five minutes had been nothing but a never-ending, push-up and pull-up induced, hell. That is until Kid had grown bored and decided the group should race to the top of the mast. A little more than halfway up, a wicked crosswind had struck them, forcing everyone to cling to their ropes and hold on for dear life. Luther, spinning uncontrollably, had crashed into Ever, who was thrown diaphragm first into Dez’s elbow. In pain and unable to breathe, Ever reflexively let go of her rope, falling twenty feet before self-preservation kicked in. Latching on to her only lifeline, she screamed all the way down as her hands shredded beneath the rough weave, only releasing her death-grip less than five feet from the deck. 

Rolling over onto her back, Ever muffed a groan as she unintentionally stretched her abdomen. Blinking through blurry tears, she wanted to give the loud, purple blob a thumbs-up, but her initial fear and adrenaline were wearing off, and her hands _burned. _Craning her neck to the side, Ever grimaced at her palms, now bloody, blistered, and raw. _God fucking dammit, this hurts._

Heavy clunks of a boot sounded nearby before a bulky, humanoid figure stood over her, blocking out Luther’s frantic waving. Unable to wipe the tears and snot streaming down her face, Ever choked back a sob and forced a feeble glare as she met Kid’s intense gaze, “I hate you.”

He stared at her, before scoffing and walking away, “Get off your ass and quit crying like a little bitch. This is only the warm-up, so either lay there and die or get up and keep going.”

She seriously contemplated lying there for the rest of time. Still, her shoulder blades were digging uncomfortably into the wood, and she couldn't ignore the fact that her raw palms were touching the germ-infested deck. Slowly propping her elbows beneath her, Ever sat up, the thought of shiny, oozing wounds and the phantom scent of rotting flesh kicking her into action. Rising unsteadily to her feet, she ignored the hushed whispers of the older crewmembers and walked over to the table set up outside the exterior door. The bright red toolbox perched on top, coupled with the slightly crooked white-cross taped to it, helpfully informed her that it was a first aid kit.

Using the back of her hand, Ever flipped the latches and opened the box, searching for the supplies she needed. Spotting them, her fingers throbbed with each item she grabbed, in particular, the heavy bottle of alcohol. Gnawing at the bottle’s lid like an animal, she successfully unscrewed the cap and propped the bottle between her side and elbow. Gritting her teeth, Ever yelped in pain as she poured the alcohol onto her palm, the clear liquid turning pink as it dribbled off her hand. Quickly maneuvering the bottle, she did the same to her other palm.

Her burning hands shook so badly, she dropped the tweezers twice before chucking the tool back in the box, giving up on them altogether. Carefully ripping open the gauze with her teeth and pressing it to her palm, Ever swore colorfully at the rough texture before slowly curling her fingers to keep the dressing in place. Reaching out for the bandages, she was stopped just short as a large hand clamped down on her wrist.

It was Luther, muttering a grumpy apology, who gently wrapped her palms and individual fingers. He finished the final wrap just as the last recruit, Dez, made it down.

It happened fast. As soon as Dez’s boots hit the deck, Ever’s manacled arm, and Luther's watch arm wrenched them around and towed them back towards the group. As they neared, Ever could clearly make out Kid’s squawking, “-wrapping her hands like god-damn Trafalgar. Playtime’s over! It’s time for you to beat the shit out of each other.”

~~

“Umm, I think this is going to be a _smidge _one-sided.”

“Shut it Ever. I told you to beat the shit out of each other, so that’s what you’re going to do.”

Wide-eyed Ever peered past the human wall of muscle blocking her path and shot Kid a disbelieving look, before craning her neck back to meet Dez’s bright eyes and half-concealed grin. "You really think," she pointed a finger up at the large man, “I have a chance against _that_.”

“It doesn’t matter if you have a chance against _him._ Did I, or did I not, order you both to beat the shit out of each other”?

Rocking back and forth on her heels, Ever mimicked the redhead’s comment under her breath as she surveyed her future murderer one more time. Dez was easily eight and a half feet tall, had at minimum three hundred pounds of solid muscle on her, and in Ever’s opinion, his biceps were the size of large tree trunks.

Fixated on the intimidating muscle, she paled as the man flexed his arm. An image flashed through her mind. It was Dez, wedging her head into the crease of his elbow, and popping it like a grape.

Watching the woman fidget before him, Dez couldn’t help but tease her, “Come on Ever, hit me.”

“Uh, no thanks. I choose life.”

A knife whizzed by the pair and sunk into a nearby barrel, “Hey dumbasses! Let’s get this show on the road”!

Grumbling under her breath, something along the lines of how Kid could go suck a dick, Ever took a deep breath and settled into a defensive position. _Alright, he's already fought the others, and I'm sure he's tired. Avoid him, and you’ve got this. _

Ever most certainly did not have this.

With the shriek of Wire’s whistle, she moved quickly. Hoping to seek refuge from the man, Ever attempted to scuttle behind a barrel. Unfortunately for her, she did not take into account his long reach. Shrieking and clawing as an arm of steel wrapped itself around her torso and lifted her off the ground, the world spun as Dez slammed her spine first into the deck. Struggling to focus on the large man looming over her, Dez’s ring flashed in the sunlight as he curled his left hand into a fist.

Squeezing her eyes shut and curling in on herself, Ever prepared for death. Or most likely, the sickening crunch of her nose that would echo Ryder’s from minutes before.

_One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. _Nothing. Absolutely nothing was happening to her.

Cautiously cracking open an eye, Ever squeaked as Dez’s dinner-plate sized hands rolled her onto her stomach. Holding her down, Ever was prepared for him to stomp on her, not for him to _sit_ on her like she was a lawn chair.

Ignoring the pained groans and squirming body beneath him, Dez relaxed and stretched his legs out over the back of hers, crossing them at the knee. At the same time, he leaned his elbows back to rest on either side of her head, and smugly said, "I win."

When everything was said and done, the “fight” had lasted all of ten seconds and ended with Kid, plus the majority of the crew, laughing their ass’s off as Ever desperately tapped out under Dez’s crushing weight.

~~

“Fuck you Dez, why did you break my nose and not Ever’s”!?

“I thought your future bruising should match that horrific shit you put on your lips.”

Caught up in their argument with one another, Ryder and Dez failed to notice Ralph’s smirk as Wire subtly herded the group to a different area of the deck.

Paranoid, Ever caught the movement. _Fuck, what’s next?!_

Trying not to panic at Ralph’s inadvertent tell, and Ryder’s vice-like grip on her shoulder, Ever’s steps were short and jerky as she followed Wire. Ryder had latched onto her as soon as her “fight” with Dez ended, leaving her trapped near the intimidating men and unable to flee from whatever shit Kid pulled next.

“I will have you know ladies give me compliments about my lipstick every time we are in port! A fact you wouldn’t know because you never get laid.”

Still watching Ralph, Ever’s anxiety sky-rocketed as the man pointed a finger-gun at her and mimed pulling the trigger.

“Pfft, of course, they're complimenting you, you’re paying them to fuck you. A problem I never have to worry about because women want to fuck me for free.”

“Oh please. You just don’t want to admit you beat the crap out of us to compensate for your tiny dick”!

Someone’s boot knocked a crate, and Ever looked around, suspiciously watching the crew spread out to form a cage around the outnumbered recruits.

“That’s funny, I remember your sister choking on my “tiny” dick before _begging_ me to fuck her.”

Ryder released Ever’s shoulder and swung at Dez, who narrowly missed the punch, “Say that again, I fucking dare you”!

Ever saw her chance. Taking one giant step away from the pair, she slid in behind Ed, who was muttering something about how the compliments he had received from last island’s prostitutes were nothing but true.

Dez jabbed a finger into Ryder’s chest, “I said, your sister liked choking on my big dick so much, she begged for more, so I fucked her until she couldn’t walk.”

A flash of red, and Ever turned in the direction of Kid, who was holding his hands out in front of him like a frame. Lining the recruits up between his fingers, he smirked and whispered to himself, “Stand righhhtttt there.”

Ignoring the brawl about to take place behind her, Ever watched in horror as purple sparks flickered across Kid's fingertips, and the guns carefully hidden under a tarp behind the crew flew into each of their hands. The cocking of the weapons stopped her heart and grabbed everyone but Ryder and Dez’s attention.

Roughly grabbing the collar of Ed’s shirt, Ever dragged the man down with her behind a conveniently placed crate as Kid issued an order, “Hit em’ boys”!

Ignoring the bite of her burning hands, Ever crushed Ed against her and watched rubber bullets ricochet off the deck past them as the crew open fired on their position.

“Ow fuck shit goddammit-"

Throwing himself to the deck, Ryder army crawled towards cover. Noticing that Dez was still standing there and taking the beating like a champ, he punched the back of Dez’s knee, forcing him to the ground. Snickering at successfully bringing the man down to his level, Ryder crawled towards safety, only to be grabbed by Dez. Livid, Dez swung Ryder like a rag doll and launched the man into oncoming fire, grinning as Ryder’s swearing increased in volume and tempo. 

A bullet cracked above Ever’s head. Twisting her neck up, Ever gaped at Ronald, who cheerfully waved at her from an upper deck, before shooting again at the pair. Turning towards Ed, the man had already shrugged out of her grip and taken off, screeching, “Every man for himself” before succumbing to multiple shots in the back and lay twitching facedown on the deck.

Scrambling and diving for a new hiding spot, Ever swore when a bullet clipped her arm, "Ronald, I save your life, and this is how you repay me?! YOU BITCH”!

Silence descended as the crew stopped firing, and Kid’s voice rang out, “I’m glad to know this is how you dumb fucks would react in a real ambush.”

Ever, as well as the other six, were magnetically dragged upright and dangled in front of Kid. Kid surveyed them all, before pointing a gun in her direction, “Fox, Ever, you two did right by helping another crewmember.” With that, Ever and Fox landed on the deck.

Swinging the gun around, Kid shot Ed, Johnny, and Luther before dropping them, “You three were too stupid to pay attention to your surroundings and decided to lone-wolf it, getting shot in the process.”

Glaring at Ryder and Dez, who refused to look at one another, Kid shot them three times, “I’m tempted to kill you two right now. What you did is worse than ignoring your team. You let your personal feelings get in the way and deliberately sabotaged each other out of spite. No crew member will trust you to have their back when you pull shit like this.”

Slamming them to the ground, Kid turned around with a scowl on his face, “Learn from this. If you don’t and someone dies from your squabbling, you better pray you end up dead before I get to you.”

~~

There were two things in life Ever was certain of. First, when it came to assholes, Eustass Kid was in a league of his own. Second, the said asshole, unfortunately, had fantastic aim.

“Think fast”! _SMACK!_

Her once immovable hiding spot now gone, aka Dez, who was passed out cold in front of her, Ever flung herself sideways as a wrench sailed through the air in her direction. Sliding between Johnny’s legs, Ever heard another smack and a near-silent scream as the wrench hit his midsection. Gagging as spit sprayed her neck, Ever muttered an apology at the man before grabbing the wrench and crawling further away.

Kid, laughing maniacally like some storybook super villain, called out to them as more tools flew through the air, “Come on you pansies, think of this as practice! If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a blade”!

Deflecting another wrench with her own and cursing Kid’s existence under her breath, Ralph’s voice cutting through the chaos pissed her off even more, “Don’t you dare get hit Ever! I have beli riding on you this round”!

Safely crouched behind a barrel, Ever stood up and launched the wrench in Ralph’s direction before ducking back down, “YOU CAN TAKE THAT MONEY AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS YOU INSUFFERA-“ _EEK!_

Her thrown wrench, which Kid successfully boomeranged back around the barrel at her with increased speed, ended Ralph’s hope of earning some cash.

~~

_One two three _breathe, _one two three _breathe, _one two three _breathe, _one two-_duck. Holding her breath, Ever swam beneath the cresting wave, before popping back up with a gasp beyond it. Blinking away the sting of the salty water, she spotted her reference point, aka, the large birch tree blanketing the tiny island, and continued her rhythmic strokes.

_Stupid fucking Kid. Of course, he would make us swim. That devil-fruit dumbass probably didn’t even consider how cold the water would be within an autumn climate. _

Her dingy, half bandaged right hand hit the pebbles in the island’s shallows and Ever was so glad her fingers had gone partially numb a few minutes prior. Stumbling to her frozen feet, she sloshed through the water and clambered onshore, aiming for the lowest branch on the tree.

Approaching it, Ever ducked her head, shivering as a stiff breeze chilled her even further and shifted the tiny bag tied to the branch. Even with the attached tag spinning in tight circles, she could make out her name scrawled in Kid’s cramped handwriting.

With shaking hands, Ever snagged the bag from the branch and took a few moments to unknot the twine sealing it. Whatever was in there, it better be important enough to warrant the seven of them swimming in 50-degree waters without wetsuits.

Tipping the bag into her hand, several packages slid out. Staring in disbelief at the items in her palm Ever growled, shoved them back into the bag, and wedged it down her sports bra. Turning towards the ship anchored two hundred yards offshore, she cupped her hands over her mouth, “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME”?!

Stomping back towards the rough sea, Ever briefly spotted Fox’s auburn hair as he drew closer to land. Imagining ways to murder Kid, Ever’s mind only partially registered the frigid water as she waded into the shallows, before diving headfirst to avoid the oncoming surge.

_One two three _breathe, _one two three _breathe, _one two three _breathe. _I’m going to kill him. If I make it through today, I’m going to push him overboard and snack on some popcorn as he drowns. _

Fighting the urge to instinctively inhale air as a wave swamped her, Ever kicked her feet faster, worried that she could no longer feel her toes. It was taking her longer to make it back to the ship. Her kicks were not as powerful, and her once long strokes were short and choppy. The cold water had effectively sapped her of the little strength she had, and all she wanted to do was soak in a warm tub and nap. _Keep going, Ev. The yearly Polar Plunge back home is worse than this. Plus, you can’t watch Kid die if you drown. _

Several minutes later, she grabbed onto the rope ladder with numb hands and forced herself to climb the last few feet back up onto the deck. Glaring at Captain Imbecile, she wrapped her arms around her torso and lurched towards Kid, whose grin was hidden behind his steaming cup of coffee.

Shoving her ice block fingers down her shirt, she somehow managed to paw around for the bag and chuck the offending object at him. Using her left hand to force her right hand’s middle finger up, Ever seethed at the captain through chattering teeth, “You’re a sexist pig, and I hope your dick freezes off one day”!

Still grinning at her, Kid closed the distance and none to gently forced her stiff finger down, “Out of all of them, I'm surprised you were the fastest swimmer."

Ever’s glare deepened, “If I wasn’t so pissed at you, I would laugh at your punny sperm joke.” Pointing a finger at him, she continued, “You said what we had to get you was of life or death importance. CONDOMS ARE NOT LIFE OR DEATH”!!

Kid shrugged and blew away the steam swirling around his drink, “Technically, it is a life or death matter.”

Cupping her hands around her mouth, Ever blew into them before shoving them into her armpits, “Oooh, don’t get me started right now, Kid. If I die of hypothermia, I'm going to-“

"Oh, just suck it up, you'll warm up in a few minutes." And with that, Kid left Ever shivering uncontrollably in the wind.

Glad she had thought of taking her jacket off before diving in, Ever pulled it on, the semi-thin material only slightly warming her up. Sitting down on the deck, she curled her knees up against her chest and wrapped her arms around them, trying to conserve whatever body heat she had left.

Keeping her tongue far away from her chattering teeth, Ever shot a stink eye at Ronald, who was bundled up ten feet from her. Huffing in amusement at her grumpiness and pathetic state, Ronald mimed playing a tiny violin before sipping his coffee and snuggling further into his large blanket. _That jackass. I save his life, and he returns the favor by shooting me and doesn’t offer to share his blanket. _Scowling at the thought, Ever watched some of the men move crates and hang more metal sheets around parts of the deck, obviously setting up for the groups next torture session.

The violent wind ripping across the deck had Ever hunkering further into her jacket. _Geez, what can a girl do around here to get some heat…… HEAT!!_

Perking up, Ever spotted the fire-breather casually chatting with Wire no less than twenty feet from her. Shooting a quick glance at Kid, who was preoccupied talking to the blonde haunting her dreams, Ever did her best to appear casual as she slowly rose to her feet. _Heat is literally a walking, talking, furnace. If I can get close enough to him before he notices, I’ll be good to go. _

Pretending to look up at the fast-moving clouds, Ever shoved her hands into her armpits as she innocently walked towards the pair. _C’mon, don’t pay any attention to me, I’m just looking around, nothing to see. _

Starting at a loud slap, Ever turned to see the end of a congratulatory clap on the back to Fox as he dumped his larger bag on the deck, the red handprint a stark contrast to his pale, blue-tinged skin.

Peeking back at Heat, who was distracted by Fox’s arrival, Ever tried not to smirk. _Perfect, he’ll never see me coming. _Ready to cross the last eight feet, Ever took a step forward then stopped in her tracks. Wide-eyed, her cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink as Killer craned his mask in her direction and walked towards her.

_Callous hands pinned her squirming hips to the soft sheets as his tongue- FUCK. _Spinning around, she stiffly walked the other way. _Goddammit, Killer! You’re screwing up my plan to use Heat as a radiator! _

Ignoring the weighted stare on her back, Ever looked for a distraction, which so happened to be Fox. With his arms crossed across his bare chest, and his blue lips quivering as his teeth chattered loudly, Ever realized Fox may be more miserable than herself. Looking down at her flimsy jacket, then back at the human popsicle, Ever knew what she was going to do.

Shuffling over to the man, she began unzipping her jacket, “Fox, come here.”

Fox slightly lifted his head, hope then disappointment flickering across his face, “What are you-.” Opening her jacket wide, Ever stretched the thin fleece to its limits to cover him, and adhered herself to his frigid skin.

Her numb left ear tingled against his chest as he rumbled, “Uhh, are you ok? You’re not a hugger.”

“Shut up. You keep asking me to use you for your body, so I am.”

Sliding his arms along her sides and up her back, Fox nuzzled his nose into her damp hair, “This is not what I meant, and you know-”

_Danger_

Momentarily freezing, then tightening his grip on Ever, Fox slowly turned them around, looking for whatever had tripped his internal sensors.

There was nothing out of the ordinary. There was Ronald, smirking and shaking his head at the pair before raising his coffee in a salute. Captain was up top, pointing and laughing at someone approaching the ship, most likely Johnny, who had just popped his head up over the rail and executed an impressive farmer’s blow. Still wary, Fox’s gaze passed over Heat and Wire, before catching Heat discretely jerking his thumb in the opposite direction.

Turning them again, Fox craned his neck the other way and stared wide-eyed at what, or rather who stared back. _Oh. Oh fuck._

It wasn’t a sea king or any number of monsters that roamed the Grand Line. It wasn’t even the enemy ship filled with screaming cannibals they had outpaced yesterday. However, they would have been preferable compared to who was before him. No, it was Killer, casually leaning against the rail with his arms crossed, watching them.

Fox froze like a deer caught in the headlights. Barely breathing, he watched the masked man cock his head at him and fit a blade into one of his arm guards, the action alone a warning and a promise all in one.

Eyes darting back and forth between Killer’s mask and the recently sharpened scythe, Fox remembered slightly too late why it wasn’t a good idea to have Ever cozied up next to him. _Captain said no touchy, and Killer likes her._

From day one, Captain had warned everyone they needed to play nice with Ever. He had made it clear that she was not a doll. As in, she was not something they could play with, undress, and rip apart before tossing her overboard without a backward glance. Kid needed her for something, required her to trust them, so under no circumstances would there be any “shenanigans” with the woman. Ever was off-limits.

Well, at least to some extent. From what Fox had gathered, that order did not apply to the first mate.

Shifting in his arms, Ever nuzzled her nose into Fox’s collarbone and mumbled something unintelligible, her lips caressing his skin with every spoken word. Peeking down at the cute brunette before him then back at the first mate in horror, Fox ripped his hands from her back as if they were burned, and struggled to disentangle himself from her jacket, “Ever, let me go”!

Squeezing the man tighter, her warm breath ghosted across his skin, raising goosebumps, “Uh-uh, not gonna happen.”

The singing sound of Killer’s blade rotating once had Fox’s soul leaving his body. Desperate to escape, his frantic attempts to pry Ever’s anaconda arms from him failed miserably. “Ever, PLEASE! Killer’s coming over here, and he's-“ _SLAM!_

Fox got his wish. One second, he was trapped in Ever’s arms. The next, the wind skittered across his now bareback as he rocked backward and slammed down on his butt.

“What the-,” Fox’s complaint died on his lips because Ever was gone. Watching the woman speed-walk away, her grumblings about blonde men and their no-good hands were lost to the wind.

_~~_

To Ever’s dismay, Kid was right. She did warm up in a few minutes, just not in a way she would have ever wanted. 

Standing behind the mast and clutching her left arm, Ever stared in shock at her singed sleeve before shouting at the top of her lungs, “HEAT! I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS”!

The only response she received was twin, roaring pillars of fire that whipped her drying hair into a knot as they blew by her. Leaning closer to the mast, she hissed in pain as her right leg grazed the heated sheet of metal wrapped around it. _Goddammit, I did it again. _

The vibrations of someone’s boots pounding against the deck warned Ever of an incoming intruder. Turning in their direction, time slowed as Ryder shouted, “Heads up,” and slid in next to her, nearly slide-tackling the woman in the process. 

Ducking her head as another spurt of fire blew by, Ever whirled on Ryder when a blast of heat and howl of pain rang out from the other side of the deck, “Hey, this is my spot! Get the fuck out- Oh my god”!

Her eyebrows met her hairline as the man sneered up at her. Cupping her hands over her nose and mouth, Ever smothered her grin, and tried not to stare too hard at what was left of Ryder’s face. The vain man had suffered enough today. She would not be the one to tell him that his burned, shiny forehead was one giant blister, his broken nose appeared even more crooked than before, and his once bushy eyebrows were now patchy. To top it off, smoke drifted above him as an ember smoldered in his black hair. 

Licking her fingers, Ever pinched the flame until it died out with an audible hiss, “… You know what, you can stay here.”

~~

Flipping her wrist over to check the time, Ever moaned dramatically at what she saw, which garnered a snort from Luther. It was only 11:15, and she was in hell. Nearly every part of her ached especially the wrench sized bruise on the right side of her chest. Patches on her left arm and legs were red and inflamed thanks to her so-called friend-turned-dick, Heat. Her raw palms? Psh, she didn’t bother to look at them. Even though the ratty bandages kept slipping down, which was driving her crazy, and the germs, god, the germs on her open skin and-. Nope, she wouldn’t allow herself to think about it. Denial had gotten her through a lot of things, and it would continue to get her through today. After the shit Kid and everyone else had put her through over the past few hours, there was no way the day could get any worse.

Kid’s next words crushed her false self-reassurances, “Listen up, Killer’s running the next test.”

_Well fuck. _

At that announcement, Ever became incredibly fascinated by her tennis shoes. The laces were tied into sloppy double knots, the symbol on the sides were fading, and that goddamn gritty sand was everywhere, even rubbing between her toes. Staring intently at the tiny piece of seaweed hooked near the tip of her shoe, her face burned uncomfortably hot, and the blood in her ears pounded, drowning out the whispering of the others and the test’s instructions. 

In her defense, Ever was doing her best not to imagine Killer’s hands and tongue on her body, so she only caught a few sentences here and there. Something about two minutes, tag, defend yourselves, his hands on you, punish- _Wait, what the fuck was that about hands?!_

Searching for clues of what she had missed and finding none, she nudged Johnny, whispering, “Hey, what did he just say about hands”?

Still maintaining eye contact with Kid, he muttered out of the corner of his mouth, “If Killer gets his hands on you, it’s all over. You fail the test _and_ earn a future punishment.”

Running a hand through her hair, Ever considered her options for escaping this hell. She could run face-first into the mast and hopefully knock herself unconscious, or she could throw herself overboard and make a new home on that tiny island. _Sure,_ _I can live off of leaves and eventually, maybe, learn to enjoy fish... maybe. _

Dez cleared his throat, “So, we can defend ourselves”?

Kid smirked, "Oh, you can try and fight back, but I wouldn't recommend it." He clapped a hand on Killer’s shoulder before continuing, “He’s competitive, and tends to get pissy if someone takes a swing at him. The rules are simple. If he restrains or knocks you out, you lose. Any more questions,"?

Hearing none, Kid looked towards the first mate, “Alright then, let’s get started.”

Ever noticed the meeting had drawn to a close when Johnny bumped her arm. Jerking back, she sheepishly ducked her head at his questioning look, having been too busy staring longingly at the tiny island fading on the horizon to pay attention.

It was too bad, really. If she had been paying attention, maybe she would have noticed Killer making a beeline towards her. Unaware, Ever looked up with a grin, ready to crack a spaz joke with Johnny, _except the goddamn first mate was there instead. _

Heat pooled in her cheeks, and she instantly dropped her gaze to his scuffed boots, still not quite sure how to function around the man_._ Killer's usually calming voice stressed her out even further, "Aren't you glad I told you to wear sneakers this morning”?

Ever bobbed her head, eyes intently focused on following the natural cracks in his leather boots, “Yes. Thank you.”

Unknown to Ever, Killer’s brow twitched. She _still _refused to look at him, and it was starting to piss him off. He had tried to talk to her more than once today, but as soon as she would spot him, she would scurry away as if he were out to get her. Hell, she had even knocked Fox on his ass, which in hindsight, the man should be eternally grateful she hit him before he could.

Killer just didn’t understand. What was her deal? Where were her sarcastic comments and her snippy retorts? Even that infuriating eye roll of hers was missing. Why was she her normal self around everyone else, and he the odd man out? Whatever was wrong, she was obviously overthinking and freaking out about it, and he was sick of it. He was sick and tired of her acting like… like she couldn’t talk to him about it, that he wouldn’t be interested in what she had to say. He needed to know what was going on now.

Ever nearly squeaked as Killer’s mask entered her line of sight. Crouched down before her, he gently snagged the end of one of her bandages so she wouldn’t dart away. “Did I do something, or is this about the lie you told me this morning”?

Her eyes tracked his hand warily, ready to jump back if he reached for her because she would combust if he did, "I have no idea-"

"Don't lie to me Ever. We both know you suck at it. You are _not _fine.”

“I, I mean I, uh, well you see the thing is, uh I-”

“Is it about what happened at the party last night”? _Oh fuck. _

She needed a sinkhole to appear _right now. _She wasn’t ready to talk about this, to remember Killer's warm breath on her neck, his musky, metallic smell that is distinctly him, and the way his hand had gripped her thigh, a finger absentmindedly tracing patterns into her skin.

“Kid needed you guys exhausted for today, and knowing you would sneak back to your room, he plopped you in my lap so you would be forced to stay. Suggesting you give me a lap dance was a bad joke on his part.”

Ever was sure she was flushed as red as a tomato. She did not need a reminder of how hot and bothered she had been last night trapped in the first mate’s arms. Maybe in another life where she was more carefree and brave, she would have leaned back into him. Perhaps she would have taken his hands and run them down her body, whispering in his ear all the dirty things she wanted him to do to her. Who knows, maybe she would have given him a lap dance.

But alas, she wasn’t like that, and even imagining herself doing that freaked her the fuck out.

Seeing that she wasn’t going to respond, Killer made an assumption, “So it was the lap dance”?

“NO! Well yes, but no, it’s what happened later, in my dream”! _Fuck goddammit Ever shut your mouth!_ “You, uh-”

“Killer, are you going to hunt down these clowns or what”?

Stilling, Killer clicked his tongue in frustration and stood up, turning towards his captain, “I’m heading up now.”

Ever couldn’t believe her dumb luck. He was leaving_. _She wasn't going to word-vomit to him that his dream-self had given her the best sex of her life. She was in the clear.

_If anyone on this ship can read minds, I will forever deny this thought, but thank fucking god for Eustass Kid._

“Everly,” _Fuck._

Watching him watch her, he kept his hands busy. One still held firmly to her bandage, threading the fabric between his nimble fingers. The other, his fingers twitched and curled as if he wanted to grab her now, "Don’t think this conversation is over. _When_ I catch you, you will tell me what’s wrong.”

Running the bandage between his fingers one last time, he let go and started towards the uppermost deck. Walking away as if he hadn't single-handedly stressed the woman to the max.

_Shit fuck goddammit!_

There was no way she would pass this test. Two minutes is equivalent to an eternity when you’re running for your life, and that fucker is _fast. _ It also doesn’t help that because she can’t keep her damn mouth shut, he would be coming straight for her. She can only hope the other six will slow him down, drawing out the inevitable.

Surveying the ragtag group before her Ever had her doubts. They were all more than a little worse for wear and nervous to boot. Fox, it seemed, had ascended so far beyond nervous, he was calm and praying, which showcased his nerves because he’s not religious.

“Fox, what are you doing”?

Ever the dramatic, he simply looked up into the heavens and shrugged his shoulders, “I’m preparing to meet my maker. Killer’s out to get me.”

“You and me both buddy, you and me both. Wait, what did you do”?

Fox sighed, and laid face down on the deck, his response muffled, “I touched something that's off-limits, you?

“I have a dirty secret, and I won’t tell him about it.”

His nosy-ass popped his head up at that, “Ooh scandalous, can I know”?

“Absolutely not.”

Dez grumbled at the pair as he limped by, “Get ready, it’s about to start.”

Shaking her head, Ever’s gaze followed Dez before continuing upwards to the uppermost deck where the first mate stood, ready to pounce. The dark clouds rolling in behind him were almost like a warning for the shit storm ahead, and-_ you’ve got to be kidding me. _

Of course, a fucking beam of sunlight broke through the clouds at that moment, bathing Killer in a holy light. His hair shone like a halo, and his golden tan was even more rich and vibrant than before. Looking down on them with his arms crossed, he was completely and utterly gorgeous, and goddammit why didn’t she pay more attention last night to the way her body had molded to his, and how strong his arm was wrapped around her- 

Kid’s two-finger whistle pierced the air, and Killer launched himself from the top deck, aiming straight for the group.

Chaos ensued. Ed let out an ungodly screech and shoved Ryder out of his way, bolting for the other side of the deck. Stumbling, Ryder swore colorfully and turned to face Killer, confident in his hand-to-hand combat skills. Dez also stepped forward, albeit gingerly next to him. He wasn’t a fast runner to begin with, and after taking a wrench to the shin, he wasn’t going anywhere. Luther started up towards the next deck, knowing Killer would have to double back to reach him, and Johnny darted towards the open mouth of the dinosaur. As for Fox and Ever? They shared a horrified look and sprinted towards the center mast before splitting off, one to seek shelter, the other, preparing to jump overboard.

Diving headfirst off the side of the ship, Ever flew ten feet before her arm wrenched itself backward. Crying out in pain and frustration, she kicked and squirmed as a magnetic force hauled her back and dropped her unceremoniously onto the deck. “Ever, no cheating.”

“WHAT?! YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT BOUNDARIES”!

“My ship, my rules. Get over it.”

_Son of a fucking nutcracker!! Kid has got to be the biggest asshole on this side of the Grand Line. He knows that was my only chance to win this. _

On her knees and preparing to stand, Ever went wide-eyed then ducked down as Ryder’s body sailed over her, landing somewhere behind a crate. Scrambling to her feet, she spared a glance towards Dez, who was down on one knee, trying and failing to break out of Killer’s choke-hold. _FUCK!_

Spinning, she booked it towards the other end of the ship, nearly running into Johnny, who was sprinting away from the figurehead, “Don’t go that way! Coyote set up his fucking bear traps”! _WTF, who gave Coyote back his bear traps?! _

Making a hard right, Ever ran towards the source of all of her problems, Eustass Kid.

Ten seconds later, Kid laughed as Ever sat flat on her ass before him, “Seriously? You’re going to hide in my fucking cloak? Grow some balls and face Killer like a man.”

Getting up, Ever stuck her tongue out at the infuriating captain then ran towards the upper deck, “Hey asshat, in case you aren’t aware, I wasn’t born with that particular set of equipment”!

A wrench sailed by her as a warning, “That’s why I told you to grow some, you dumbass”!

_UGH!!!! I swear this man was born to get under my skin!_

Taking two steps at a time, Ever fought the urge to cover her ears as Ed unleashed some form of demon shriek. Fortunately, it was abruptly cut off. Unfortunately, it meant one less person was standing between her and Killer.

Spotting Luther searching for weapons up top, Ever started up the next flight of stairs, that is, until a shadow passed over her and _how the fuck did he jump that high?! _

Pulling a 180, Ever ran down half of the stairs, lost her footing then tumbled down the rest of them. Using her momentum to perform what she would deem an adequate somersault, she quickly righted herself then almost fell over as a wave of dizziness hit.

Still woozy, she lurched forward into a jog, doing her best to ignore the smarting hits to her ribs and knees. It was only Johnny, Fox, and herself that remained, and right now, she was the closest one to Killer, so she had to _get the fuck out there!_

Pounding footsteps followed behind her, and _oh god oh god oh god he’s going to get me, he- wait, it's Johnny!_

Glancing behind her, Ever squeaked in fear and launched into a full out sprint. Arms pumping, she pulled just out of reach of Johnny’s outstretched hand before he was unceremoniously dragged down by Killer. _FUCK FUCK FUCK!_

Ignoring Johnny’s yelp of surprise followed by a muffled thud, Ever ran past the mast, side-stepping Fox who Kid had just magnetically dragged back down from the crow’s nest.

“Fox, I didn’t recruit you on this ship to be a pussy!”

“Captain wait- NO NO NO NO NO-_ACK!”_

Ever wanted to feel bad for Fox, she really did. She had seen once what it was like to be on the receiving end of Killer’s wrath, and it certainly had not been pretty. But right now, she had bigger problems to worry about. Like how the fuck was she going to make it through this test now that everyone had been caught?

Thank god Ronald called out to her, inadvertently giving her an idea, "Run faster Ever! There are only twenty seconds left, and then I score big-Wait what are you,” his eyes bulged, “FUCK, move! Everyone move”!

His warning came too late. Ever pushed herself into the bulk of the crew, because dammit if Killer is going to catch her, he would have to wade through the rest of them to do it.

Pressing further in, she wormed her way towards the center, unconcerned for the men around her. Sure, she had put them in the line of fire, but they were seasoned crewmembers, they could take care of themselves.

Apparently, they could not. Hearing a scuffle behind her Ever glanced over her shoulder, swore loudly, and hauled ass out of there. Numerous crewmembers had been thrown sideways, and Killer was a mere few feet behind her, twisting and shouldering his way through the crowd. _How the fuck is he moving through all these people when he’s that god damn bulky?!_

Spotting the far side of the deck, Ever ducked under Ralph’s arm and rocketed into the open space, his call echoing after her, “SLOW DOWN DAMMIT OR I’M GOING TO LOSE MY BET”!

She was sprinting. She was sprinting so hard and fast, she thought she was going to die. Her heart was going to beat out of her chest, and her lungs were on fire, and oh shit, those are his footsteps behind- _FUCK SOMETHING JUST TOUCHED ME!!_

She darted to the side but was unable to dislodge the hand pulling at her jacket, and stumbled, tumbling head over heels until she lay on her back. Spotting the blue of his shirt, she kicked her foot straight up in the air, hoping to hit him square in the balls or anything else that would keep him away from her.

She missed, of fucking course, and he grabbed her ankle, pinning it to his chest as he leaned his weight down on her knee, forcing it to bend as his other hand reached out-

Kid’s whistle pierced the air, “TIME”!

Ronald let out an excited shout, “YESSS! Suck it, Ralph! I knew Ever could do it! Now fork over the cash”!

Beyond her chest heaving for air, Ever didn’t dare move. Killer’s body still hovered over hers, and god he was so close, she could trail her fingers down his chest or run them through his hair if she dared. Wide-eyed and flushed, she gulped as Killer readjusted his loosening grip on her leg and leaned closer towards her, whispering quickly, “Everly, you need to talk to me. Whatever I did in your dream, I would never actually do that to you in real life.”

Her face flushed ten-fold. _I hope you’re wrong about that. It would be a disservice to women everywhere. _

“Whatever you think I, no we, might do to you, it’s wrong. You are a member of this crew, regardless if you had a choice in the matter, and-”

Kid’s voice interrupted him, “Ever,”

Not taking her eyes off of the man above her, Ever responded, “Yeah”?

“You’re done.”

She whipped her head towards those hideous yellow pants of his at that answer, “Huh”?!

“You heard me, you’re done. You’re in. You’ve been in since week one. I had you do all of this just to fuck with you a little bit.”

Mouth wide open, Ever simply stared at the man. _That motherfucker. He has sunk to a new low I had not but should have expected. _

Chuckling at her outraged expression, Kid looked towards his best friend, “Killer, let her go, she’s done.”

Killer slowly released her leg then without warning, reached out and grabbed her forearms, pulling her up to her feet, “You should really have Lou check your hands, they don’t look good.”

Walking over towards the pair, Kid chimed in, “And while you’re at it, go shower,” he sniffed her dramatically and wrinkled his nose, “you smell.”

“If you mean I smell better than you, then of course I do.”

His brow twitched, “Don’t push your luck girly. I could very easily have you contin-”

“Nope, I’m good, I get it.”

Heading inside, she lingered at the doorway, her concern noticeable as she looked around at her fellow allies still down for the count, “What about the rest of them”?

Kid scoffed, “Them? They’re nowhere close to done. Now get inside, a storm's about to hit, and I don't have time for someone to babysit you."

Ever stuck her tongue out at him, and opened the door with as much dignity as she could manage with her burning hands. Knowing the door would close behind her, Ever didn’t bother turning around until Killer’s voice echoed down the hall, “Everly, did I hurt you, in your dream”?

She flushed, thought about it, and spoke honestly, “No, quite the opposite actually.” 

Turning back, she headed towards Kid’s room. After everything that had happened today, she needed a shower and a cold one at that.


End file.
